kinser



. J. KINSER.

LAUNCHING DEVICE FOR AERIAL TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2.19I8.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Quiet-mu T. J. KINSER.

LAUNCHING DEVICE FOR AERIAL TORPEDOES.

APPLICATWN HLED AUG.2. I918.

1 ,3 1 7,63 1 u Patented Sept. 80, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F La f @"E 2 ii rg pgllnllll C1 Hot 11 m3 THOMAS JEFFERSON KINSER, CLAIRFIELD, TENNESSEE.

LAUNOHING DEVICE FOR AERIAL TORPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

Application filed August 2, 1918. Serial No. 247,996.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs JEFFERSON KINSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clairfield, in the county of Claiborne and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Launching Devices for Aerial Torpedoes, (Case B,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to launching apparatus for aerial torpedoes, the object in view being to provide practical means whereby an aerial torpedo may be forcibly launched into the air at high speed and at any desired angle, the a paratus embodying means whereby the initlal angle of flight of the torpedo may be accurately adjusted and gaged for the purpose of properly directing the torpedo to its destination.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the torpedo launching apparatus showing a torpedo in position to be launched thereby.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken adj acent to the elevating and lowering means.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section illustrating the connection between the track and the raising and lowering means therefor.

In carrying out the present invention, I employ a track 1 which is straight from end to end and which is supported at one end upon a suitable building structure 2 by means of a universal joint%, said joint enabling the opposite end of the track to be raised and lowered or moved laterally to one side or the other according to the direction of which the torpedo is to take, the tor pedo being supported and 'ded by said track in the initial portion 0 its movement, and until it is finally launched in free flight in the air.

The torpedo represented at 4 may be of any desired construction or shape and is shown as provided with a tractor screw propeller 5, it being intended to provide actuating mechanism for said propeller, which mechanism will be located within the shell or casing in said propeller, as set forth in a co-pending application covering the torpedo structure and filed by me July 24, 1918, Serial No. 246,574.

In conjunction with the track and torpedo, I employ a carriage comprising a suitable frame 6 having at the front and rear thereof wheels 7 and 8 respectively. The front Wheel or wheels 7 travel upon the rail or rails of the track 1 and are prevented from lifting therefrom by a superimposed guard rail 8 which extends parallel to the track 1 and is connected at its opposite ends to the supporting means extending upwardly from said track. The track 1 and the guard rail 8 are connected at their extreme forward ends by a curved stop 9 against which the front wheel or wheels 7 strike to stop the onward movement of the carriage 6 and allow the torpedo to slide therefrom after it has attained the full momentum of the carriage 6. The carriage also comprises front and rear supporting members 10 shown in the form of crotches or forks in which the body or shell of the torpedo is placed preparatory to releasing the carriage. Movement is imparted to the carriage by means of a flexible connection, such as a rope or cable 11 which is attached at one extremity to the carriage 6 and runs over a guide pulley 12 and thence downwardly where it has an actuating weight 13 attached thereto. The carriage 6'is normally held at the initial point of its movement by means of a catch 14 which engages the frame of the carriage '6 and is in turn held by a trigger 15 by the operation of which the carriage is released at the proper moment. The free end por: tion of the track 1 is supported and rendered adjustable by means of a rotary shaft 16 mounted in bearings 17 at opposite sides of the track 1 and also connected with the track 1 by longitudinally elongated bearings 18 attached to the under side of the track, the shaft 16 passing therethrough. The shaft 16 is provided at the opposite ends thereof with pinions 19 which engage stationary or fixed vertical rack bars 20. Therefore, as the shaft 16 is rotated, the pinions 19 travel up and down on the rack bars 20. The' bearings 17 have attached thereto hangers 21 which support and underlie a platform 22. An engine 2-3 is mounted on the platform 22 and is supplied by a fuel tank 24. The crank shaft 25 of the engine has a sprocket wheel 29 from which a sprocket chain 30 extends over another sprocket wheel 31 on the shaft 16, rotary motion being thus imparted to the shaft 16. The shaft 16 in rotating is caused to move either upwardly or downwardly and thereby corres ondin ly raises or lowers the outer end of the trac 1. The track 1 may be swung laterally by hand and thus be pointed in any desired direction so that the torpedo may be carefully and accurately aimed before it is launched into the air. After the range has been obtained, and the 'track properly aimed, the operator presses the trigger 15 andthrows the catch 14 out ofengagement with the carriage 6, the latter being thereby released andbeing quickly and rapidly propelled toward the free end of the track by the weight operated connction attached to the carriage as described and shown. The universal bearing 3 admits of such universal adjustment of the torpedo and supporting and directing track.v

I claim- 1. In a launching apparatus for aerial torpedoes, the combination of a fixed support, a track havin a universal joint connection atone end wlth said track, a support for the opposite end of said track, track raising and lowering means on the last named sup:

port, a tor edp holding carriage movable longitudina y of said track, carnage supporting wheels engaging said track, and

actuating means. for propelling said carriage.

' 2. In launching apparatus for aerial torpedoes, the combination of a track, a universal mounting for one, end of said track, means for raising and lowering the opposite end of said track, a torpedo holding carriage movable longitudinally of said track,

carnage supporting wheels engaging said track, actuating means for propelllng said carriage, said raising and lowering means THOMAS JEFFERSON KINSER.

shaft on which the free end 

